Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Purple Potatoes for Lower Blood Pressure
A new study came out last month that showed purple potatoes may lower blood pressure in overweight people. Okay, let’s break this down and see what the study REALLY says..First, the sample size was pretty small…only 18 overweight people who had high blood pressure.
Second, they were asked to microwave 6 -8 small purple potatoes with skins on for lunch and dinner (about 215 calories total) for 4 weeks.
Half the participants had the purple potatoes – half did not – for 4 weeks. Then they switched.
Results?
Across the board – during the purple potato regime, participants blood pressure dropped 3-4% in both diastolic and systolic measurements – without gaining weight!
Even on those already taking blood pressure medication!
Pretty impressive – but of course, a larger study needs to be done.
Purple potatoes have a higher level of polyphenol antioxidants than white potatoes, which may help explain it, although some researchers think it may work with other potatoes, too.
The trick of course, is not to cook them in a way that depletes all those good antioxidants, which is why they microwaved them.
And don’t forget – they ate them twice a day for 4 weeks to get that 3-4% drop.
I would hope that other methods – like roasting with herbs and a little olive oil, would work, too. Because plain microwaved potatoes just have no appeal to me. And since I’m currently on a pretty low-carb diet, I’ll probably pass on this anyway. I might have them as a treat sometime – but EVERY day? I think not…
For those of you interested in getting purple potatoes, I hear Whole Foods and Costco carries them.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
Can Oral Care For Babies Prevent Future Cavities?
New parents have one more reason to pay attention to the oral health of their toothless babies. A recent University of Illinois study confirms the presence of bacteria associated with early childhood caries (ECC) in infant saliva.
ECC is a virulent form of caries, more commonly known as tooth decay or a cavity. Cavities are the most prevalent infectious disease in U.S. children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"By the time a child reaches kindergarten, 40 percent have dental cavities," said Kelly Swanson, lead researcher and U of I professor of animal science. "In addition, populations who are of low socioeconomic status, who consume a diet high in sugar, and whose mothers have low education levels are 32 times more likely to have this disease."
Swanson's novel study focused on infants before teeth erupted, compared to most studies focused on children already in preschool or kindergarten - after many children already have dental cavities.
"We now recognize that the "window of infectivity," which was thought to occur between 19 and 33 months of age years ago, really occurs at a much younger age," he said. "Minimizing snacks and drinks with fermentable sugars and wiping the gums of babies without teeth, as suggested by the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, are important practices for new parents to follow to help prevent future cavities."
In addition, his team used high-throughput molecular techniques to characterize the entire community of oral microbiota, rather than focusing on identification of a few individual bacteria.
"Improved DNA technologies allow us to examine the whole population of bacteria, which gives us a more holistic perspective," Swanson said. "Like many other diseases, dental cavities are a result of many bacteria in a community, not just one pathogen."
Through 454 pyrosequencing, researchers learned that the oral bacterial community in infants without teeth was much more diverse than expected and identified hundreds of species. This demonstration that many members of the bacterial community that cause biofilm formation or are associated with ECC are already present in infant saliva justifies more research on the evolution of the infant oral bacterial community, Swanson said.
Could manipulating the bacterial community in infants before tooth eruption help prevent this disease in the future?
"The soft tissues in the mouth appear to serve as reservoirs for potential pathogens prior to tooth eruption," he said. "We want to characterize the microbial evolution that occurs in the oral cavity between birth and tooth eruption, as teeth erupt, and as dietary changes occur such as breastfeeding vs. formula feeding, liquid to solid food, and changes in nutrient profile."
Swanson said educating parents-to-be on oral hygiene and dietary habits is the most important strategy for prevention of dental cavities.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
TRUTH about tooth whitening
TRUTH about tooth whitening
Our practice has received many questions concerning different methods used to whiten teeth. The purpose of this page is to educate our patients about the differences between whitening methods.
There are two main methods to whiten or "bleach" teeth.
...
The first is the tray method. This method uses a thin clear flexible plastic tray. The purpose of the tray is to apply a uniform layer of whitening agent to the enamel. The trays are used at home 6 hours a day (overnight) for 7 days.
Advantages of the tray method:
lower cost
less discomfort while whitening
less sensitivity after whitening
Disadvantages:
teeth are not as white after the first day as with the heating light method.
The second method uses a light to heat up the bleaching agent. Examples of this method are Zoom® and BriteSmile®. This method uses two steps. In the first step the patient is seated in the dental chair, their mouth is propped open, the teeth are coated with whitening agent, and the heating light is aimed at the front teeth for up to three hours. The second step uses the trays as described above.
Advantages:
Teeth are whiter after the first day compared to the tray method in 1-2 hours.
Disadvantages:
higher cost
mild to moderate discomfort during in-office treatment.
the whitening agent used in the office can burn the gums.
increased chance of moderate to severe sensitivity after treatment. The use of pain medicine is often necessary after treatment.
flouride must be applied to teeth for 2 days after procedure to reduce post-bleaching sensitivity.
Research proves that there is NO DIFFERENCE in whitening effectiveness between the two methods. Your teeth will get just as white using the tray method alone as they will using the heating light method which is quicker. I recommend periodic 1 hour touch up every 3-6 months keep the teeth their whitest. Here at the office of Dr Richard C Lage DDS PA, we are proud to offer ZOOM and Nightwhite are our preferred teeth whitening methods. Our patients have been completely satisfied with the results over the past years. Please keep us in mind if you are considering any teeth whitening procedures.
Our practice has received many questions concerning different methods used to whiten teeth. The purpose of this page is to educate our patients about the differences between whitening methods.
There are two main methods to whiten or "bleach" teeth.
...
The first is the tray method. This method uses a thin clear flexible plastic tray. The purpose of the tray is to apply a uniform layer of whitening agent to the enamel. The trays are used at home 6 hours a day (overnight) for 7 days.
Advantages of the tray method:
lower cost
less discomfort while whitening
less sensitivity after whitening
Disadvantages:
teeth are not as white after the first day as with the heating light method.
The second method uses a light to heat up the bleaching agent. Examples of this method are Zoom® and BriteSmile®. This method uses two steps. In the first step the patient is seated in the dental chair, their mouth is propped open, the teeth are coated with whitening agent, and the heating light is aimed at the front teeth for up to three hours. The second step uses the trays as described above.
Advantages:
Teeth are whiter after the first day compared to the tray method in 1-2 hours.
Disadvantages:
higher cost
mild to moderate discomfort during in-office treatment.
the whitening agent used in the office can burn the gums.
increased chance of moderate to severe sensitivity after treatment. The use of pain medicine is often necessary after treatment.
flouride must be applied to teeth for 2 days after procedure to reduce post-bleaching sensitivity.
Research proves that there is NO DIFFERENCE in whitening effectiveness between the two methods. Your teeth will get just as white using the tray method alone as they will using the heating light method which is quicker. I recommend periodic 1 hour touch up every 3-6 months keep the teeth their whitest. Here at the office of Dr Richard C Lage DDS PA, we are proud to offer ZOOM and Nightwhite are our preferred teeth whitening methods. Our patients have been completely satisfied with the results over the past years. Please keep us in mind if you are considering any teeth whitening procedures.
September 16, 2011
National Museum of Dentistry offers autism guide for parents
Baltimore, Md.—“There are many ways to help your child develop the skills he or she needs to take care of his or her mouth,” says the National Museum of Dentistry’s “Healthy Smiles for Autism” guide for parents of children with autism spectrum disorder posted online Sept. 16 as free and downloadable at healthysmilesforautism.
“Use this guide to start an oral health routine at home. In time, your child will learn how to independently complete each step in the routine.”
The National Museum of Dentistry, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, partnered with Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Autism and Related Disorders and the University of Maryland Dental School to develop the best practices guide to oral health care for children with autism spectrum disorder.
“We want to be able to give parents readily usable tools to help their children to develop a good oral hygiene regimen,” said NMD Executive Director Jonathan Landers. “We’ve combined best practices for autism education, such as visual sequencing cards and rewards systems, with proven personal oral hygiene techniques to help make the process a little easier.”
The Healthy Smiles for Autism guide is made possible by the support of Henry Schein Cares, the Global Social Responsibility program of Henry Schein, Inc., Blakeslee Advertising and a generous gift from Dr. Irwin and Lucia Smigel, the museum announcement said.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others, including the dentist. Dental care is the leading unmet health care need among children with special needs, and across all income levels children with special needs are almost twice as likely to have an unmet oral health care need as their peers without special needs, according to the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center.
The guide includes links to online autism and parent resources. Free copies are available at the NMD website or by calling 410-706-9599.
“Use this guide to start an oral health routine at home. In time, your child will learn how to independently complete each step in the routine.”
The National Museum of Dentistry, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, partnered with Kennedy Krieger Institute’s Center for Autism and Related Disorders and the University of Maryland Dental School to develop the best practices guide to oral health care for children with autism spectrum disorder.
“We want to be able to give parents readily usable tools to help their children to develop a good oral hygiene regimen,” said NMD Executive Director Jonathan Landers. “We’ve combined best practices for autism education, such as visual sequencing cards and rewards systems, with proven personal oral hygiene techniques to help make the process a little easier.”
The Healthy Smiles for Autism guide is made possible by the support of Henry Schein Cares, the Global Social Responsibility program of Henry Schein, Inc., Blakeslee Advertising and a generous gift from Dr. Irwin and Lucia Smigel, the museum announcement said.
Autism is a complex developmental disability that typically appears during the first three years of life and affects a person’s ability to communicate and interact with others, including the dentist. Dental care is the leading unmet health care need among children with special needs, and across all income levels children with special needs are almost twice as likely to have an unmet oral health care need as their peers without special needs, according to the National Maternal and Child Oral Health Resource Center.
The guide includes links to online autism and parent resources. Free copies are available at the NMD website or by calling 410-706-9599.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
FUN TOOTH FACTS
"The strongest teeth in the world" belong to John Massis of
Belgium. He proved this by pulling two Long Island Railroad
passenger cars weighing 80 tons along the rails with a rope held on a bit between his teeth. Always remember that your teeth are not a tool, and should not be used for anything except eating food.
drrichardlage.com blog: Is Flouride Safe ? Does it stain your teeth ? Is...
drrichardlage.com blog: Is Flouride Safe ? Does it stain your teeth ? Is...: These are some of the most common questions asked in the office. This should answer some of your questions and concerns. http://www.everyd...
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Welcome to the Blog of Richard C. Lage, D.D.S., P.A.!
Whether you are an existing patient or searching for a dentist in the Miami area, we're excited you are here. With the dental industry advancing, we recognize the importance of keeping our patients and visitors up to date with all of the new and exciting things taking place in our practice.
As we move forward with our blog, we hope to promote dental awareness as a vital part of your healthy lifestyle. Here you will find a variety of articles and topics including dental news, advancements in dental technology and treatment, practical dental health advice and updates from Richard C. Lage, D.D.S., P.A. and his staff.
We hope you find our blog to be helpful, engaging and informational to ensure your best dental health.
As always, feel free to contact us with any dental questions or concerns.
305-226-3231
aida@drrichardlage.com
Whether you are an existing patient or searching for a dentist in the Miami area, we're excited you are here. With the dental industry advancing, we recognize the importance of keeping our patients and visitors up to date with all of the new and exciting things taking place in our practice.
As we move forward with our blog, we hope to promote dental awareness as a vital part of your healthy lifestyle. Here you will find a variety of articles and topics including dental news, advancements in dental technology and treatment, practical dental health advice and updates from Richard C. Lage, D.D.S., P.A. and his staff.
We hope you find our blog to be helpful, engaging and informational to ensure your best dental health.
As always, feel free to contact us with any dental questions or concerns.
305-226-3231
aida@drrichardlage.com
Sunday, September 4, 2011
drrichardlage.com blog: Dr Richard Lage
drrichardlage.com blog: Dr Richard Lage: Dental Did You Know: Bruxism (Grinding) Stats It is estimated that 45 million Americans (and likely 4 million Canadians, keeping the popul...
Dr Richard Lage
Dental Did You Know: Bruxism (Grinding) Stats
It is estimated that 45 million Americans (and likely 4 million Canadians, keeping the population ratios of the two countries intact-my comment) suffer from bruxism. However, only 4 million guards are fabricated in the US every year.
Source: Glazer H, The Chairside "Night 'n Day Guard",
Source: Glazer H, The Chairside "Night 'n Day Guard",
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